Harmony Mouse

by ScarletRhine

Return to Ayers Rock Pt 2

As the humvee rolled to a halt near the new ranger station an airboat glided in and slid to a stop at a nearby pier that had also been recently made. The pilot turned out to be none other than Earth’s Cattail and his passenger the ranger they saved. As they got out they heard the tail end of what Cattail was saying to the ranger. “....so don’t be beating yourself up for taking too long. It was just good luck that Apple Bloom tripped over you and her friends were there with the cure. And speak of the devils, here they are.”

Every one exited the humvee. Ashley waved to Cattial saying, “Nice seeing you again Cattail.” Cattail waved at them and said, “nice of you to drop in, but what are you doing back here?”

Alex smiled as she relied, “We got a lead on an artifact somewhere in that swamp and that some lowlifes are going to go after it!“

“Well if you're going into the swamp, you're going to need transportation.” Cattail mentioned. The ranger nodded and added, “We have an airboat and a zodiac available for the trip..”

The ranger looked at the group and said, “Some of you look like the ones that saved me. Normally I’d warn you from going in, but considering you guys seem to know what you’re… just don’t get your selves killed.” The Ranger went into the station.

Daring Do then said, “Ok until we get word on where we should look we should head into the swamp. We’ll head towards Ayers Rock on as a direct path as possible I’ll use my special talent to help us locate the satchel. Rainbow, I mean Micaela, Princess I want you airborne and keeping pace with the boats. Pease call us and warn us if you see large patches of the flowers so we can avoid them. Flut… I mean Flora you will ride in the airboat with me Alex and Cattail. I am hoping you can talk local predators out of putting us on the menu.”

Alex hopped up to Daring Do’s shoulder as everymouse climbed into the boats. Twilight and Micaela took to the air, though Twilight was a little shaky, Daring Do's, Flora, Cattail, the anthro CMC and Ayumi boarded the airboat while Rarity, Pinkie, Starlight, Ashley & Rick Boarded the zodiac. Ayumi Shifted into Tempest and pulled out two of her short swords stating “A precaution against hydras and cragodiles. I won’t hurt them too bad if I can avoid it but, I’ll behead the hydras to slow them down if needed.” She then handed Daring a small blue crystal “This thing holds five charges of ice magic I’m handing it over to you due to your knowledge of relics so you should know how to use it effectively just be careful and throw it after the last charge is used. Trust me you’ll understand why I say this when it happens. Also I sent Spike ahead to scout out some of the flash bee hives in case we need to collect our own honey at some point.” After seeing everypony’s looks she added “Dragons are immune to swamp fever and bee stings due to being literally hot blooded and damn near bulletproof. He’ll be fine, my counterpart had her Spike do the same thing.”

“We might have to keep watch for umbrium as well. The Black Hand used to summon Shadow Kahn. Ninjas who’re made of shadows. If we encounter them we might face shadow ponies because of Sombra.” Alex called out from Daring Do’s s shoulder.

“Spike and I can take care of-” Ayumi started sniffing the air “You smell that? Someone’s following us. Keep your eyes open.”

Alex looked about as she sniffed. “I smell the San Fran Trio & Dr. Callabreon’s goons.”

“No this smells like someone worse.” Ayumi said as she tasted the air with her shifted tongue. ”It smells like the Pony of Shadows, Sombra’s elder brother. Though from the smell of it he’s non hostile.”

Alex frowned “The Pony of Shadows?” Alex sat there confused which expressed by asking, “Wasn’t he trapped in Limbo? Pellets. How did he get out of limbo?”

“His host was freed during the 7th season of the show along with the other pillars.” Ayumi said “I think he’s here for me I have a shadow form I can take that’s similar to his. If he becomes hostile then I’ll worry but as it sits he may just want to see his kid brother again.”

“Pellets. I think he might have gotten a new host.”

“Your mousefriend isn’t his host, my student. Like I said he’s here from me.” Ayumi said darkness in her eyes.

Daring Do nodded. “Mage Meadowbrook Expressed an interest in visiting this world. She said something about wanting to learn about Earth’s ailments and curing them.”

Alex looked at her sensei and asked “Any clue on where we should look in this swamp Sensei?” Alex couldn’t help half liddening her eyes as she enjoyed the breeze of riding on airboats relaxed her in a way she couldn’t place her paw on, yet she enjoyed it.

“Well if she did travel to this world through the natural portal here we should try to find her old camp as there wasn’t a swamp back then.”

Alex frowned and said, “The problem isn’t finding a portal on Earth, it’s keeping them under closed. Portals have been opening and closing at random for over 13, 000 years. Earth seems to have affinity for them. Add to that Pocket realms both natural and artificial.’

Twilight flew lower and said, “We got a Huge Patch of the flowers ahead and a large patch of dry ground just beyond.” Alex shouted, “Can we go around to get to it?”

“ARE THE FLOWERS BLUE LITTLE SIS?!” Ayumi RCV’d “REMEMBER THIS SWAMP HAS JOKE IN IT!” Ayumi then took to the air herself but stayed next to the airboat. “Sorry bout the rcv guys but i wanted those in the zodiac to hear too, the fan is pretty loud after all.”

“Eh?” Alex said as she tried to get her ears to stop ringing.

Twilight looked uncertain as she replied, “They looked like Blue water lilies with orange spots.”

“We do not land there.” Ayumi stated flatly “Those flowers are Fever infected Joke if we get anywhere near we’ll all get infected.”

Alex got a confused look and flew up to Tempest & Twilight and said, “I thought Poison Joke looked more like a blue petaled rose not a water lily.” After saying that she landed back on the boat. She panted as she sat down. She use her alicorn magic to levitate a granola bar to her from the backpack she was sharing with Daring Do then began munching it. The exhaustion she had felt was familiar to her. Daring Do looked at her mousefriend and asked, “Are you ok?”

Alex looked up from the granola bar she was eating and replied, “It’s only ki exhaustion. Just a little food and rest and I’ll be as good as new.”

“Swamp Joke is a slightly different subspecies” Ayumi clarified “Even if it’s not Swamp Joke those orange spots indicate fever infection and that stuff can go airborne through flower pollen”

“Ah.” Alex said. As they maneuvered to avoid the swamp joke, she began to feel a subconscious tug on a direction close by. Daring Do noticed and said, “We’re close aren’t we? Like when we teamed up.” Alex nodded.

“Everypony duck!” Ayumi saId as a swarm of Flash bees passed by overhead of those in the watercraft. She the directed her gaze towards the two adventurers. “I heard you two. We’re close enough that those of us with active magic can sense the portal and Meadowbrook’s satchel. Be on guard for those ninja. I know how they operate, but I’m wary of fighting them at all.”

“Alex was able to sense the mirror of Lathrop Htrae when I was here the first time.” Daring noted.

Alex grew to human size and started scanning the area. “Sounds like you had a few run ins with the Shadow Kahn.” She remarked.

Her tail was twitching at a rapid pace and she lowered her ears closer to her skull.

Ashley spoke up in response to Alex’s body language, “You okay, sugarcube?” She addressed the mouse adventuress.

“Yes AJ" Alex replied. “I just hate running into those shadow ninja.”

“More than a few; the other reason I moved to the Siberian wilderness was to hide from the last embers of the Fourth Reich. My uncle Dirk fought them during a NUMA Operation in Antarctica. The embers learned how to use the twelve talismans before they turned into animals,” Ayumi stated “Naturally, the Shadow Kahn stole the monkey and tiger talismans back from us after a few days.”

“Ugh! That was two head aches and a half.” Alex said. “I had to round up the rabbit and it didn’t help I got shrunk to my mouse size for the first time during that escapade. You DON’T want to ride a rabbit bareback. Especially when it runs fast enough to make sonic booms.”

“Rabbits that make sonic booms? That’s so awesome!” Micaela exclaimed. “But not as impressive as my Sonic Rainboom.”

“Two words. Dream Angel.” Ayumi said “Been there, done that.”

As they were talking they came up on a wrecked Airship with the markings of the Australian Armed Forces.

Ashley looked at the wrecked Airship, “Maybe we should send a picture of this aircraft to Shining Armor? He was in the Armed Forces before he became, well, his pony self.”

Having a shocked expression on her face, Alex spoke with disbelief. “I don’t believe it! That’s the Flying Unicorn! She was supposed to be an armored zeppelin. But she disappeared on her maiden flight without a trace. The project was abandoned afterwards.”

“Ya think maybe Twilight knows more about this here zeppelin, or her brother?” Ashley asked.

“If he has the proper level of clearance, he might.”

Both water vehicles slowed down and came to a stop near the wreck. They then noticed it was on a sizable piece of dry land. Everyone disembarked and looked the wrecked airship over from where they stood. It looked like a cross between a zeppelin and a destroyer with a rigid support cage for the armored airbag of which there was no trace of. It looked like it had been in a battle for it’s life…. And lost.

Alex let out a low whistle and commented, “To think that if this poor thing made it into WWII the atom bomb may have never have been invented.”

The CMC announced as one, “This is so awesome!”

Twilight, Micaela, & Ayumi landed and the group got ready to explore the wreck. Alex stayed on Daring’s shoulder, she looked at the Flying Unicorn and said, “The satchel (or at least something that could lead us to it) is somewhere in the there.” She the turned to look at Cattail and said, “Cattail? Would you watch after the fillies?”

Cattail smiled as he replied, “Sure thing.”

”Not cool.” Scootaloo groused.

“I thought we were going to help you!” Sweetie Belle complained.

“We could be a help!” Apple Bloom offered.

“Please?” All three Crusaders said with big pleading eyes, hoping to gain permission from the older adventurers of the group.

“And you can help by watching the boats and staying with Cattail. Especially you young lady.” Daring said focusing on Earth ‘s Scootaloo. “You look too much like my daughter for Dr. Callabron too resist using you as a Hostage.”

“Why would he do that?” Scootaloo asked.

“He’s just the stallion who would do that kind of thing.” Daring Do replied. “He once took the pony version of Miceala hostage in a pyramid near the village of the legendary Somnambula.”

“Don’t forget that he is an experienced adventurer in his own right. With his own bag of tricks.” Alex added.

The anthro CMC looked at each other then at the older anthros and said, “You can count on us!”

“Good.” Ashley remarked. “Now you three mind Mr. Cattail while we're inside and stay outta trouble.” With that the Rest of them approached the crashed ship to find Meadowbrook’s satchel.

---

They enter through the nose area into the bridge. It looked like the bridge of a submarine with the bridge of the USS Enterprise from the original series with the helms in a station at the front, The Captain's chair behind. A plotting table to one side and the stations for communications, engineering and navigation over land in a bank on the other side.

The ten anthros looked around, curiously causing some of them to walk around it. Alex noticed something and hopped down to the engineering station. As she walked on the console she said, “This is amazing! Did you know Australia had planned to build an aerial navy if the Flying Unicorn didn't disappear on its maiden flight?” She hopped back on Daring Do’s shoulder just before the Equestrian adventuress joined the others at the plot table.

“Okay.” Ayumi said. “We got two objectives right now. Locate either Meadowbrook’s Satchel or the portal whichever is here. And we may have to beat the clock on the portal.”

Alex rubbed her head briefly before saying, “That’s what worries me. Portals like the Wondercolt Statue in Equestria Girls would be designed to block magic from flowing between the worlds they link. But that was a creation of Starswirl the Bearded and he was an experienced unicorn sorcerer. If someone from a low magic world was to create a portal without the fail safes to hold back the magic from a high magic world from rushing to the low magic world. In essence we get the magical version of when a window is shot out in a 757 at 10,000 feet.” Daring Do asked, “What do you mean?”

Starlight commented, “We’re gonna have to show the final confrontation of the movie ‘Goldfinger’.”

“Anyhow we're gonna have to split up.” The dragonoid continued. “Daring Do, Alex, Starlight and Ashley. You three got the crew quarters. Flora, Rarity, and Pinkie; you got engineering. Twilight, Micaela, and I will checkout the rest.” Ayumi then passed out the heat suppression amulets to everyone except Pinkie and Daring. “Everyone who used to be male put these on. Especially you, Alex.”

“What's wrong with Alex that she has wear some frou frou jewelry?” Demanded Micaela crossly.

“This piece of frou frou jewelry is a heat suppression amulet.” Alex stated as the pendant shrunk down to fit her. “Remember Heat Paralysis? It nearly got me in hot water with Hak Foo, who is now a male mouse.” She shuddered at the thought of giving into her baser urges when around Hak Foo.

Ashley looked at her pendant and placed it around her neck, “Ah hope these pendants don’t interfere none with the Elements o’ Harmony.”

Alex rode on daring Do’s shoulder as she and the other two went to a ladder and climbed up it. They climbed through a tube for a few seconds before they exited into a hallway that went down the length of the wrecked airship and had a total of ten doors. “One of the doors on the end has to be the captain’s quarters and the other the officer’s mess.” Alex observed. The others nodded. On a silent agreement they entered one of the rooms on the side.

Ashley searched her knapsack for a flashlight to help her and her friends explore the room. Upon turning it on, she said, “Starlight, can ya use yer horn to cast some sort o’ illumination spell?”

“Yes.” Starlight responded before she concentrated and a small ball of light came into existence.

The room was set up with two bunk beds on each side, along with two small desks against the far wall. The setup was completed with four foot lockers at the feet of the beds. There was also a secured fold down table (probably for eating meals or a friendly game of cards). Starlight, Ashley, and Daring began to examine the footlockers and the desks. Alex hopped down to the ground and began to check under the desks and beds.

.

---

Meanwhile, Pinkie, Rarity and Flora had climbed the ladder up to the crew deck then climbed to a ten by ten room with various gauges covering one wall, a table covered with vacuum tubes and crystals and one wall that had a window that took up a quarter of it overlooking a larger room beyond.

“Um… what are we supposed to look for?” Flora asked as she walk around timidly.

“Anything that could lead us to either Meadowbrook's Satchel or the portal, dahling.” Rarity replied.

Pinkie skipped over to the window to look. “Wouldn’t it be neat if the portal was like the Stargate?” She just before she started to vibrate. “A-a-a-a d-d-d-doooozieeee i-i-isss ab-b-b-bout t-t-t-to hap-p-p-pen!” She announced.

---

Ayumi, Micaela, and Twilight were searching the bridge for any clue when eight individuals walked in. Dr. Caballeron, a crystal pony unicorn in a green Armani suit known as Valmont, the San Fran Trio, known as Ratso, Finn, and Chow, and the hench ponies who followed Dr. Caballeron.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Elements of Magic & Loyalty of this world and Tempest Flare.” The tan earth pony anthro said. “Looking for Meadowbrook's satchel, no doubt?”

“Indeed.” The crystal unicorn said. “If the Elements of Harmony are anything like you three, the world will be child’s play.”

“You three!” Dr Callabron commanded as he pointed to the henchponies. “Head up to Engineering and round up those there. And if any freeze up from breeding paralysis you may rut them before bringing them back.” Valmont looked at the Equestrian anthro and asked, “What the hell is breeding paralysis?”

Callabron just smiled and answered, “Breeding Paralysis occurs during the first time they enter heat for the first time. Mares who are transformed stallions are especially vulnerable to it.”

After hearing this something snapped in Tempest’s mind “Girls, I suggest you run,” She said “cause I’m going to Kill them!” and with that she extended her dragonic claws. “I'm not letting you anywhere near my SISTER!”

“Well you have this handled Sensei.” Alex said fearing for the lives of the thugs in front of them. “Just don't go Nova on them okay?” Both she and Daring backed out of the room.

“Will she really kill them?” Daring asked as the two of them headed back to the bridge. All the while keeping on guard in case the shadow Kahn showed up.

“No but they'll wish for death when she's done with them.” Alex said remembering the genjutsu based illusion Ayumi showed her back at her penthouse. “Though I don't doubt she'll hurt them. After all they threatened to rape Twilight and the others. I believe that she's giving them just what they deserve.”

Valmont grinned and said, “I think you’ll find it a little difficult to do as so.” The next moment several shadowy anthro ponies stepped out of the shadows, along with an Alicorn made of shadows. “I’m afraid I can’t allow that to happen, Princess Tempest Flare!”

The hench ponies and San Fran Trio scramble up the ladder as four of the shadow ponies grabbed Twilight & Michaela. “Now unless you want something to happen to your friends you’ll wait for the others to return. I WILL HAVE MY BABY BROTHER BACK!”

---

As that was happening, Alex, Ashley, Daring Do, & Starlight were searching the captain's quarters when the San Fran Trio (aka the Enforcers) entered. “Hay look guys.” the unicorn said. “There's one for each of us. “

“You know they use to be guys, Finn.” The earth pony commented.

The ship started shaking as black flames raced across the wood and metal. An insane laughter was heard from below.

“You!” Alex said “What did you do?! This ship is literally shaking purely from Ayumi's rage!” She asked the four stallions in front of her.

“We did nothing! The pony of shadows grabbed your friends and just started laughing like that!” Finn said.

The shaking and laughter suddenly stopped while the black flames created a wall between the two groups.

“The fuck is this stuff?!” The earth pony exclaimed as 5 roughly anthro shaped creatures made of the flames walked out of the fire wall.

“Guess what Ratso… The Pony of Shadows just got my sensei pissed off.” Alex said as she cracked her knuckles before growing to human size.

The pegasus of the three ran for the large window saying “I’m getting out of here! Valmont’s not paying enough for me to fight litteral fire demons and demigods!” but one of the fire demons as they were now called stopped him by grabbing one of his wings burning it. “Aaaaaagghhh!” he screamed in pain as his wing blackened.

“GET YOUR HOOVES OFF MY SISTER!!!!!!!” Was heard throughout the entire swamp.

Alex turned to face Ratso and Finn, glaring at the Dark Hand enforcers as green flames surrounded her body. Ashley and Starlight grabbedDaring and husled out of that room. “Wh-what’s going on?” Daring and pulled her back.

“Now don’t go trying to help her, sugarcube.” Ashley said “Ayumi has been teaching her more than just mana control. Alex has been adamant that she learn how to protect you and your kid in her new form and with her new powers.”

“Ayumi’s been teaching all of the new unicorns in combat magic and Alex is no different.” Starlight said “Those flames around Alex are part of her training. Ayumi’s been showing us that everypony has an elemental power tied to their natural magic.”

Alex had heard the San Fran Trio’s comment when they came in and it got her blood boiling. Her sensei’s shout of rage caused her mind added to it as it leaked a small portion of it to her, feeding her own.

“Rrrrrrarrrrrrgh!!!!!” She shouted as a pulse of elemental magic flew out from her. The elemental magic emanating from Alex washed harmlessly over Daring, Ashley & Starlight, and at the same time, manifested as a wall of fire to destroy the summoned fire demons, extinguishing all of them in the process. Once the fire demons were extinguished, the very angry mouse girl turned her attention to Chow, who was attempting to escape with his dignity intact.

She stormed up to the pegasus anthro and jerked him up by his shirt. “Were you planning to have some ‘fun’ with the pegasus if breeding paralysis affected her, Chow?” She growled.

The now identified Chow gulped as he looked at the flame shrouded mouse anthro. His sunglasses fell to the ground from his frantic nodding of his head. She pulled him close and he could see he fur starting to change from white to black and her hair was starting to look like it was made of fire as she growled out, “That mare is pregnant with my foal. AND YOU WERE PLANNING TO RAPE HER, YOU INSECT!”

“Whoa, nelly! Ah’ve never seen Alex this angry before!” Ashley said, attempting to keep out of harm’s way with Starlight. “You were sayin’ somethin’ about each o’ us have some sort o’ magic? Ah believe mine’s super strength, bein’ an Earth pony. Twilight told me ‘bout that when Ah met up with her shortly after Ah became AJ.”

Daring Do realised something and said, “You guys said she gained Alicorn magic when Tempest Flare attempted to alter her size and failed several times. Princesses Luna & Twilight are both alicorns and when their darker emotions got the better of them they became Nightmares Moon & Nova. We gotta calm her down before she fully awakens her Nightmare.”

Saying they she flew to Alex and embraced Alex and said, “Alex calm down. Breeding Paralysis doesn't affect pregnant females. I am safe. Your Nightmare is awakening please calm down.”

Alex's hair stopped changing and her fur was a dark grey and stopped getting darker. Starlight pulled Chow out of her grip then embraced the rodent adventurer “You’re not alone anymore.” Ashley joined the hug as she said, “Ah said I wouldn't abandon you and ah won’t.”

---

Back on the bridge The pony of shadows looked up and said, “It would seem a nightmare is awakening we shall go and return later.” then there a flash of darkness and the Pony of Shadows, Dr Callabron, Valmont and the shadow ponies were gone. Ayumi and Twilight had started sensing flaring of the magic and Ayumi suddenly realised that some of her anger must’ve leaked through the student/teacher bond to Alex. She then remembered Alex admitted to having a temper she fought to control.

“Oh buck”Ayumi said “We both almost went Nightmare without control of it.”

“Ayumi are you ok. You’re shaking.” Twilight asked seeing her adopted elder sister trembling

“I’m not but as long as your safe I will be.” Ayumi said “sorry you had to see me almost kill someone sis but the thought of you or anyone i care about being hurt is nearly enough for me to go Nova.”

“It’s ok, I understand your anger they were going to try and rape us.” Twilight said hugging Ayumi “Lucky they didn’t know about the pendants.”

“Heh in my anger I forgot you guys were wearing them,” Ayumi said “but still, if those things come off by anyone hand but your own then … Lets just say even my Nova persona can still love her family.”

Comments

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